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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27661624">And the world seemed so vivid</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyere_simen_Nienna/pseuds/Nyere_simen_Nienna'>Nyere_simen_Nienna</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_main_Battledancer/pseuds/The_main_Battledancer'>The_main_Battledancer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>League of Legends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Drama &amp; Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Old Lore, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Relationship, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:09:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,653</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27661624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyere_simen_Nienna/pseuds/Nyere_simen_Nienna, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_main_Battledancer/pseuds/The_main_Battledancer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Life is indescribably beautiful.<br/>But it's also indiscriminately cruel.</p><p>Jumping from high to low and back again, unpredictable. Especially when two absolutely different personalities meet and try to go their way together, the same purpose in mind. Even when it wasn't planned like this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rakan/Xayah (League of Legends)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Harvestfestival</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This one started from an Idea i had for my first Long fic but didnt worked there, the idea never left me tho. So here we go :D I would like to mention that this work is supposed to be a slow burn (even if i have no idea if im able to do so)</p><p>This Chapter is kind of a teaser </p><p>Take Care guys</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The night dawned hours ago, the only source of light in the nearby area is the crescent moon, which shines brightly in the black sky, surrounded by many tiny stars which sparkle with everything they have. With quick steps Xayah scurries through the dark streets of Vlonqo, the hood deep into her face, while she wraps the cape tightly around her body. Her steps slow down as she approaches the inn, she looks around suspiciously before she steps through the door into the almost empty taproom.</p><p>Without looking around, she steps up to the counter, briefly hitting a small table bell with her hand before letting her hand slide on the wood below, her eyes fixed on her black-painted nails. It doesn't take long and a mid-aged woman arrives at the counter, wrapped in a cozy looking morning gown. "Excuse me," the woman laughs, looking curiously at Xayah, who drags the hood deeper into her face. "A single room," she replies curtly, her lips pressed to a thin line. The woman nods briefly, giving the unexpected visitor a broad smile, before she reaches for a thick, leather-bound book, opens it and takes a close look at the guest list, before she reaches for a key, with the number Thirteen neatly written on its pendant. </p><p>Nodding slightly, she reaches for the key, clutching it tightly. "Would you like something to eat brought to your room," she asks friendly, whereupon Xayah nods hesitantly, fishing for a few coins in her bag and placing them on the table. "That should be enough," she mumbles curtly, pointing her head towards the stairs. A loud laugh causes her to flinch and with quick steps she rushes up the stairs before she comes to a halt in front of the door with the number thirteen. With a fast movement, she inserts the key into the lock, turns it around and pushes the door open with force, so that it bumps against a resistance on the other side and almost falls back into the lock. </p><p>She enters the room quickly, closing the door behind her before looking around the room. A single bed is placed against the wall, several soft pillows are spread across atop it, as well as two cuddly looking blankets, and a small bedside table stands directly at the head of the bed. On the other side of the room there is a comfortable looking sofa and a fireplace, in which a small, cozy fire crackles and which warms the room cosily. Slowly she walks over to the fireplace, putting some logs into the fire to prevent it from extinguishing. With a light smile on her lips, she walks over to the window, looking through the slightly steamed up glass. Her eyes rest on the moon, which stands high above the distant trees, surrounded by sparkling stars.</p><p>With a quick movement she draws the curtains in front of the window before she slowly turns around and heads over to the bed. Inspecting she sits down on the mattress and without wanting to, a soft sigh comes over her lips. A blink of an eyelid later she throws herself on top of it, stretching herself and closing her eyes, while the smile on Xayah's lips becomes wider. Her last night in a real bed feels like an eternity ago, she pleasurably wraps her arms around one of the pillows and holds it tight, pressing her nose into the fabric. For a moment she just lies there, her nose pressed into the pillow and with one hand reaching for one of the blankets, her eyes still closed.</p><p>Startled, she opens her eyes when a loud, long groan breaks through the wall by her bed, disgusted, she grimaces her face, bringing the pillow to her head and covering her ears, when another groan breaks through the wall. With a mixture of disgust, distaste and nerves, which are strained to be torn apart, she straightens up and hits the wall with her fist. "Quiet!" she shouts, while slamming her fist against the wall again. For a moment all the noises stop and she closes her eyes again, pressing her head back into one of the pillows. Just as she begins to relax, another groan comes through the wall, coupled with a few words that she can' t understand to her relief.</p><p>Annoyed, she snorts up, banging her fist against the wall again, before she withdraws from the bed, takes one of the pillows and a blanket and moves over to the sofa in front of the fireplace. Without thinking about it, she lets herself drop on it, pressing her head on the pillow and wrapping the blanket tightly around her. "Still better than in a tent," she mumbles before drifting off into light sleep. </p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>When she wakes up the next morning, the sun is already standing high in the firmament, slightly sleepy, she walks over to the door, opening it a crack wide and looking around in the hallway, before she scurries out and grabs a carafe of water. When she wants to go back into her room, she stumbles over something standing on the side of the threshold. Surprised, she looks down at the ground, sighing inwardly. It is a tray with a bubble in the middle that contains the food she ordered last night and forgot. With one foot she slides the tray into the room before closing the door behind her again. She quickly puts the carafe on the dresser, which is placed on the side wall, and curiously gets down on her knees in front of the tray. </p><p>The last real meal was already days ago and for the first time Xayah really realizes how hungry she is. When she lifts the bubble, her eyes begin to shine and without a second thought she reaches for the bread which is on the plate, richly topped with various sausages, cheese, salad and something she has never seen before. She takes a big bite, immediately deciding that she likes this unknown vegetable, while she cheerfully chews on it, spreads her map on the floor in front of her and reaches for her notebook. With her hand she follows a line on the map, tapping her fingernail on a point while she takes another bite. </p><p>With a pleasurable sigh she shoves the last piece of bread into her mouth, licking her fingertips while she runs through her plan one more time in her mind. Satisfied, she nods, before she wipes off her dress with a quick movement, pouring some water on her washcloth and cleaning herself quickly with it, before she quickly drains herself with another piece of cloth and forms a fresh dress made of magic around her. With her fingers she runs through her hair, tying it into a simple side braid and noting in the back of her head that she should go to a lake to take a long bath.</p><p>But first the work, then the pleasure.</p><p>Her eyes move one last time over the map before Xayah folds it up and puts it in her backpack, along with her notebook and a few small items. One last time she looks around the room, steps out the door and closes it behind her. As she steps down the stairs and to the counter, she looks at the lady behind with a slight smile, pushing the key over. "I hope you had a pleasant night and enjoyed your sandwich." The lady from last night smiles at her motherly, whereupon she responds with a timid nod. "Would you mind getting me another one to go?" </p><p>Nervously she plays with her fingers, eyes to the ground, while the lady disappears into a room behind the counter, before returning with a sandwich wrapped in paper and placing it on the counter. With bright eyes, Xayah fishes for a few coins in her backpack, realizing that her reserves start to run low. Slowly she lays the coins on the table, takes the package from the counter and places it in her backpack, nodding to the lady before dragging the hood deeper into her face and leaving the inn. </p><p>With quick steps she walks over to the market place, her eyes resting on the crowd of people standing in front of a stage. For a moment she is speechless, in fact she expected that most of the guests of the Harvest Festival would have already disappeared by the time she starts her plan at dusk. The sight she is confronted with represents the exact opposite. In front of the stage numerous people are crowding around, singing and dancing. Out of the corner of her eye she can see a tall figure coming towards her, clearly drunk, annoyed, she rolls her eyes, evading him and disappearing into the crowd. </p><p>A flash of brilliance draws her attention up to the stage and for a fraction of a second her heart stops beating. A handsome young man stands on stage, singing and allowing particles of magic to dance around him while the setting sun illuminates his golden feathers. Even though Xayah would never admit it, but for a brief moment she feels dazed before he performs a pirouette, conjures up a red rose and throws it at a young woman in the front line, giving her a lewd look before his eyes move across the audience. </p><p>Just as he's about to start a new song, his eyes turn to Xayah, who is still looking at him, even though the expression on her face has changed from lively interest to downright annoyed. Surprised, she listens up when the first notes of his song threaten to drag her back to a long forgotten time, a time full of love and affection, of trust and foolishness. When she still lived with her father, when her tribe hadn't left her behind, when the world was a completely different one for her and didn't seem as broken as it feels now. </p><p>With a slight movement of her head, she tears herself from the memories, staring at him again, while she crosses her arms in front of her chest and rolls her eyes. Without paying attention to him for another moment, she makes her way through the crowd, looking closely at the surroundings, noting in her mind where guards are standing and where she can easily escape after her work is done. Satisfied, she notices that there are no guards at all on the city wall, which borders the forest. With quick movements she makes her way through the crowd, forced to focus on her mission and not on some arrogant swaggering jerk while the crowd cheers his name. Rakan.</p><p>As quietly as she can, she runs into an alley, careful not to draw attention to herself, between houses and over to a slightly larger building where she knows that the city's leader lives. According to her informants, he is said to be storing stolen goods in a tower room, including an artifact that was stolen from the Shimon and for which she is fighting her way to the building. </p><p>As she stops near the building, she takes a quick look around, satisfied that no one is near her and that the building is unguarded. Apparently, the showboy on stage has the entire city gathered in front of him, except for a few single, scattered guards. Satisfied, she grins, running to the left outside of the building, where she realizes in surprise that someone has forgotten to close the window.</p><p>Today is probably her lucky day.</p><p>With a little jump she lands on the windowsill, holding on with her claws, while she makes sure with one hand that she doesn't lose her balance and falls down. Silently she jumps onto the carpet and runs over to the door, cautiously looking out into the hallway. Nothing. She frowns for a brief moment, then runs down the long corridor, stopping in front of a door which she suspects leads to the room where the stolen artifacts and goods are stored. </p><p>She pushes against it, but as expected, the door doesn't simply open. She briefly starts digging in her backpack before taking out a thin piece of metal that has a hook in the front. Carefully and as quietly as possible, she starts to unlock the door and is rewarded with a satisfying 'click!' after a few tense moments. Again she looks around before she slides into the room, looking around while she runs her fingers over some of the objects. </p><p>Happily growling, she reaches out her hand when she sees the object of her desire, a flower-shaped figure surrounded by tendrils and covered with many little stones. Xayah takes a cloth out of her bag, carefully wrapping the artifact in it, before she slides it back into her bag and runs towards the door, checking if everything is safe. Relieved, she leaves, closing the door behind her again and walking the same way she came through. When she reaches the city wall some time later, she takes a last look at the market place, realizing that the windbag is no longer in sight, she has to admit that her mission wouldn't have been so easy without his unplanned distraction.</p><p>Grinning, she jumps onto the stone posts of the city wall, leaping to the other side, before running into the forest in good mood, stroking the bulge in her bag with her hand. Without meaning to, her thoughts drift back to the womanizer who stood on the stage and performed for humans. Frustrated, she snorts loudly, slowly shaking her head. How could he do this? He' s a Vastaya, just like herself, and yet he associates with humans, amuses them, even uses his magic for them. </p><p>'Mu'takl', she thinks to herself, shaking her head again. She stares blankly at something, she has never seen a scene like this before. Yes, she had already met such huge crowds, but they never sang or danced, they chased her, threw stones at her and worse. She bites her lower lip, walking straight ahead, knowing that eventually she will reach a road that will lead her back to the Shimontribe. They just didn't treat him that way because he was performing for them, he was giving them what they wanted. </p><p>Not like her, she fought back with everything she had. And killed her offenders.</p><p>Sighing in resignation, she freezes as she hears the sound of a breaking branch and for a brief moment the blood freezes in her veins. While she was in thought about the womanizer, she actually didn't notice that someone was following her. Cursing herself in thought, she slowly turns around, with one hand already summoning three of her Featherdaggers, while she looks coldly at the men behind her. "Two strong men against one woman? Are you sure you could fight such-"</p><p>A sharp pain runs through her body and causes her to break off in the middle of the sentence, with a loud groan she twists her eyes and goes to the ground, while two other men step out of the shadow of the trees. "Good work, men." One of the men, tall and with wild black hair, nods to one after the other before crouching down in front of her, pulling back the hood and raising her head roughly by her hair. "She isn't that unattractive," he says, grinning at his men. "You can still have fun with her before we hand her over." Roughly, he presses her face into the damp leaves that cover the ground, while she slowly comes back to her senses.</p><p>In panic, Xayah begins to squirm under one of the men who sits on her back and presses her head to the ground. "Don't be a baby. If you stop struggling, you'll like it too, you'll see. Or maybe not," he laughs maliciously, really enjoying the way she helplessly writhes under him. </p><p>"Four men against one young woman? Well, that's not very manly," a voice sounds behind them, causing the men to look around in surprise. In front of a nearby tree trunk, the young man, who has previously entertained the crowd on stage, has a charming smile on his lips, which, however, can' t fool over the expression in his eyes. With quick steps he runs towards the men who have looked down on their victim and throws them off their feet with a blast of golden magic, before jumping over to one of the other men and throwing him off his feet as well, before kicking the other one off the young woman. </p><p>With a smile, he kneels down before her, her eyes widen for a brief moment of shock before she recognizes him as the showboy from the stage. "Hey sweetheart, how are you?" The smile on his lips widens, while she just rolls her eyes. "I didn't ask for your help, Rakan." Her voice is cold, as is the expression in her eyes as she struggles to get on her knees, her arm brushing over her mouth. "I didn't ask if you needed help either, I just don't want to miss the party. But besides that, you looked like you needed some anyway."</p><p>A soft chuckle escapes from his throat, the smile on his lips turns back into a grin and he strokes his hair with one hand. Annoyed, she snorts up, straightening herself completely, while her eyes move over the motionless figures on the floor. Slowly she walks over to one, conjuring up a featherdagger, which she moves through the man's throat with a quick movement, before going from one to the other and repeating the action. </p><p>Rakan's eyes widen in shock, one step towards her. "Why did you do this? We could have run away and been far from them before they regained consciousness." He grimaces, his eyes following her as she goes from body to body, emptying her pockets. Satisfied, she lets a few coins and supplies disappear into her backpack before reaching for a linen-bound book that the leader of the group had carried with him. </p><p>Without answering his question, she covers the men with leaves, looks around briefly and then walks away in the direction she had gone before the mercenaries attacked her. Startled, she turns around as a hand wraps around her wrist, looking directly into Rakan's large, bright blue eyes. Roughly she tears herself loose, turning away from him and hurrying away.</p><p>"I'm coming with you." With quick steps he runs after her. She stops for a moment, looking at him in surprise, before she shakes her head. "I didn't ask you to accompany me." Shaking her head slightly, she starts moving again, reaching for her backpack as she walks and searching for her map in it. "I didn't ask you if I could come with you either." </p><p>The rustling of leaves makes her ears twitch and a short moment later he stands next to her, taking a look at her card. "So, sweetie, where are we going?" She stops abruptly, summoning a featherdagger and pointing the tip threateningly at his throat. "Call me sweetie again." Her voice resembles a growl and he raises his hands in a soothing way while she turns the dagger back into magic and moves back in the direction she had already taken. </p><p>Surprised, he looks after her, stroking his hand briefly over the spot where the tip of the dagger had touched his skin, with quick steps he follows her, deciding that he won't let her go so easily. For the first he meets a woman who doesn't throw herself at him immediately and even if she is not really his style, her rejecting manner has its charm on him. </p><p>"Excuse me, but if you won't tell me your name, I have no choice but to call you that."</p><p>Annoyed, she sighs, not even looking at him, as she climbs through the dense undergrowth and heads towards the street. "Xayah," she mumbles softly, still not looking at him. Slowly he nods, wordlessly saying her name. "I like that name", he grins, stroking through his hair again and catching up to her. "So Xayah, where is this journey going?"</p><p>She hesitates for a moment, not knowing how much she can tell him. "I... ...have to go to a nearby village to get things done." From the side, he looks at her attentively, his lips curling into a light smile as he looks up at the darkening sky. "I suppose that's why you literally flew out of the city?" He winks at her as she stares at him with eyes wide open before her eyes get colder again. </p><p>"It's none of your business."</p><p>For a brief moment he looks at her from the side, arms behind his head, as he follows her. He almost ran into her as she suddenly and without warning stops and stares at her map. "Is something wrong?" Without answering him, she drops her backpack, untying her tent. "It's too late to travel on. The danger of taking a wrong turn is too huge." She steps aside, setting up her tent a little aside from him, while he begins to collect some branches and lights a fire by magic. </p><p>Without saying a word to him, she climbs into her tent, lighting a small lamp inside. From outside he stares at the flickering tent wall, her silhouette clearly visible. His forehead wrinkles and he lies down next to the fire, covering himself with his feathers. He doesn't know how long it will take, but he will make sure that she will rfall for him. With a broad smile on his lips he falls asleep shortly after.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Autumn Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>When Rakan awakes the next morning, he is surprised to see that her tent has been taken down and there isn't a trace of his travel companion. His brows furrow in surprise before he slowly sits up, looking around carefully and noting with satisfaction that Xayah has covered her tracks, but he can still smell her perfume nearby. A slight smile flits across his lips as he quickly strokes his feathers between his fingers and shortly afterwards leaves in the direction from where the unmistakable scent of patchouli, lavender and rose petals reaches his nose.</p><p>With a soft humming on his lips, he passes through the dense undergrowth, stopping at a bush underneath and around which many large yellow blossoms grow in the air, which he picks with nimble fingers and throws into a small glass. After a few minutes he lets the glass disappear into his pocket and begins to follow her scent again. Surprised, he stops, looking around in confusion, the smell is still clearly present in the air, stronger than before, but he can't figure out in which direction and he looks around in irritation. </p><p>'Damn it, where did she go?", it runs through his head as he looks around searchingly, letting his eyes drift through the dense undergrowth without discovering even a trace of her. A rustle to his side causes him to turn around without coming even a step closer to his target. Startled, Rakan flinches as he is pressed against a tree just a heartbeat later, the tip of a feather-shaped dagger presses against his throat while Xayah looks at him coldly and judgmentally, teeth clenched and snorting softly. </p><p>Her eyes are narrowed into thin slits, and even though he plays with the idea of making a joke or a lewd remark for a moment, a quiet voice in his head tells him he'd better drop it, she doesn't seem like she's in the mood for doing so. "What are you doing here! And why the hell are you following me?!" Her voice is rather a hiss as she glares angrily at him, her nails digging into his shoulder and cutting through the soft skin. For a moment Rakan is silent, not sure how to react in this situation, before he puts on his most charming smile and strokes his other hand through his hair, smiling confidently at her. "I was wondering where you went! Can't have a pretty young woman tramping through the woods alone, can I?" he smiles, giving her a quick wink, to which Xayah rolls her eyes and takes the featherdagger away from his throat before she releases his shoulder as well and without saying a word, she turns around and heads away. </p><p>"Damn," Rakan mutters as he briefly watches her make her way through the branches before struggling to his feet and slowly following her, brushing a hand over his bloody shoulder. 'What a girl. Not necessarily my type but wow... I've never met anyone like her before. She somehow doesn't seem to fall for my charm and not just that, she just left me behind, went off without me.... The situation right now. Every other woman would have fallen around my neck and would easily have given herself to me, but she doesn't even care. How can she not fall for me?' He slowly follows her, eyes fixed on the back of her head as she stops some distance away, eyes fixed firmly on her map, one finger of her other hand running thin lines across the paper as she mumbles to herself. </p><p>He steps up to her curiously, casting a glance over her shoulder, surprised that she doesn't chase him away. "Can I help you?" he whispers softly, causing her to flinch in fear and take a small step to the side, Rakan realizing that she hadn't even noticed his presence before he spoke to her. Slowly she shakes her head, turning back to her map and paying him no further attention. After a few moments, she puts the map back into her backpack and starts walking with quick steps, her eyes turned to the sky, with a slight shake of her head, her face grimacing and her steps quickening. With fast paces Rakan runs after her, struggling to keep up with her as they climb together through the undergrowth and head for a large crossroad. </p><p>Without saying anything, she hides behind a large tree trunk as a farmer passes by with his cart, and to his surprise Rakan notices that her ears are twitching from one direction to the next, taking in and processing every sound in the surroundings, near and far. Thoughtfully, he looks at her, head tilted to the side, eyeing her curiously. When he is sure the farmer has been out of reach for some time and she still hasn't moved, he takes a step toward her, a gentle smile on his lips. "Can we keep moving?" Startled, she flinches before slowly peeking out from behind the tree trunk and looking around. Without answering him, she runs off, across the crossroad and back into the forest on the other side, glancing again at her map as he joins her again.</p><p>With a slight nod of her head, she gestures to him in which direction they have to go before they resume their walk in silence. </p><p> <br/>* * *</p><p><br/>Exhausted, Rakan looks over at his companion, who is leaning against a large stone, her eyes closed for a moment as the cool moonlight falls down on her. Slowly he steps toward her, reaching his hand out to her, but a moment later he pauses in his movement, sensing that she would not agree to the touch. "You look exhausted, we should take a break," he murmurs softly, to which she just shakes her head vehemently. "I don't have time for a break, I have to stick to the schedule," she mutters, rubbing the back of her hand over one of her eyes, forgetting that she's wearing makeup. She grimaces briefly, smearing the makeup on her skirt, before following the route she had drawn on her map with slightly swaying steps. </p><p>With slight concern in his gaze, he follows her, shaking his head at her questionable behavior as he catches up to her with quick steps. "We should at least stop for a moment to eat something. If we haven't eaten enough we'll move slower than if we're sated and rested." He smiles slightly at her as she takes a few steps to the side, maintaining the distance between them. For a moment she looks at him from the side, a mixture of surprise, exhaustion and tiredness in her eyes. "Two hours. Then I'll set off again, what you do is up to you, Rakan. I have some planning to do." Without saying anything else, she turns around, dropping her backpack to the ground next to a tree before sinking down against it, opening her note book and studying the latest entries again. </p><p>"I'll go get us something to eat," he smiles, giving her a gentle look, which she doesn't even notice, not lifting her gaze from her notes. "You don't have to bother about me, I don't need anything," she mumbles, turning to the next page of her notes.</p><p>**</p><p>In disappointment, Rakan steps out of the bushes back onto the small clearing where they had taken a short break earlier, his mood not any better than before, his hunt unsuccessful. He sits down exhausted near the campfire which Xayah has lit during his absence, before he looks around in surprise. She is still sitting by the same tree as before, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling in a calm, relaxed motion. A slight smile spreads across his lips as he walks over to her, detaching the blanket from her backpack and spreading it over her. Carefully, he strokes her cheek with the back of one of his fingers, receiving a soft twitch and murmur from her, satisfied that she doesn't wake up. </p><p>**</p><p>When Rakan wakes up the next morning, he almost expects that his travel companion has abandoned him again. But when he sees her curled up by the tree trunk, the blanket he had covered her with the night before wrapped tightly around her, her mouth a little open and muttering softly to herself, he can't suppress a smile. Curious, he looks at her, sliding slightly closer as her features begin to twitch restlessly. His brow furrows lightly, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her tender skin, to soothe her in her sleep. </p><p>With a yawn, he sits down by the fire, eyes fixed on the dancing flames as his stomach slowly begins to give in, and once again Rakan curses internally that he had been unsuccessful in his hunt the previous evening. A loud thunder crashes through the stillness of the morning, causing Xayah to jolt awake from her sleep, involuntarily summoning some of her daggers as she looks around startled to see the first raindrops pattering down on the two of them. "Shit," she mumbles softly, quickly folding the blanket and attaching it to her backpack.</p><p>A strong breeze blows, sending the leaves sprawled on the ground dancing into the air and the fire nearly extinguished as more and more thick drops fall from the sky and before they can even look at each other they are already soaked and the cold wind leaves them shivering.With quick steps Rakan runs over to her, helping Xayah to her feet. "We need to find shelter!"</p><p>She shakes her head, pointing to her ears, before yelling against the wind that she can't understand him, to which he only nods briefly and points with one hand in the direction he had disappeared the night before, testing his luck at hunting. She nods briefly, following him through the ever-increasing storm, but with considerably more difficulty moving forward than he has. </p><p>Fighting the wind, Xayah follows him, holding her arms protectively in front of her face as her ears press against her head and the loud whistling of the wind swallows all other sounds around her. For a brief moment, she looks up from the ground, glancing between her arms, checking she is still following him, when a movement to her side catches her attention. A large branch crashes down on her, splintering as it falls, which she avoids without much effort, but she can' t find a hold on the wet leaves, slips to the side and strikes her leg against a hard object on the ground.</p><p>A sharp pain runs through her lower leg and for a moment she feels the air escaping from her lungs as the earth begins to spin before her eyes. Suppressing a cry of pain, she bites her lower lip as a hand appears before her eyes. Surprised, she looks up, gazing into Rakan's smiling face, who is trying to help her up. She shakes her head, clenching her teeth. "I can do that on my own! I don't need your help!" she hisses, standing up with trembling legs. 'I don't need anyone's help. Never have, never will. I only need myself,' it runs through her mind, her gaze fixed on the ground. </p><p>For a brief moment he looks at her in surprise before shrugging his shoulders and walking away from her again, in the direction he had gone before. With a low, satisfied coo, he glances at the cave which opens up between the rocks as he sees a swirl of purple feathers drop to the ground behind him. With one swift movement, he turns around, throwing raindrops from his feathers as he runs as fast as he can over to her and gets on his knees in front of her, looking at her worriedly. "Let me help you!" Again, he reaches out to her as she looks coldly into his eyes. </p><p>"I don't need your help!"</p><p>He shakes his head in disbelief, looking down at her. "We're almost there, let me help you." Again he looks at her gently, causing her to roughly slap his still extended hand to the side. "I don't need you, Rakan. I don't need anyone." Trembling, she straightens up again, gritting her teeth tightly as she feels the warm blood running down her thigh. Without giving him another glance, she walks towards the mouth of the cave, staggering as she struggles through the increasing storm, before falling to the ground once more. </p><p>She clenches her hands into fists before dragging herself up against the tree trunk, breathing heavily, drawing a sharp breath through her teeth as pain spreads from her lower leg throughout her body and she struggles with tears. "Xayah, now let me help you," he shouts on the roaring breeze, looking at her in dismay, but being ignored by her. "I told you about that," she hisses, glaring angrily at him as she struggles forward unsteadily. </p><p>Slightly he shakes his head, hurrying after her as she slowly fights her way through the storm, once again losing her balance and hitting the wet ground head on. With one swift movement, he stands beside her, forming a golden shield around them both, the drops bouncing off it like a thick piece of glass. "Let me help you," he murmurs, looking at her with a sad shake of his head. Again she opens her mouth to protest, but no word comes from her lips and her eyes widen in fright as he grabs her and lifts her off the ground, holding her to him like a doll. Without thinking, she begins to squirm in his arms, trying to fight her way free, while he tries with all his might to prevent her from falling to the ground again. </p><p>"Stop struggling!"</p><p>With a loud snort, she frees herself from his arms, nearly falling to the ground as he just manages to catch her before she hits the hard floor, receiving an angry scream from her as he throws her quickly over his shoulder and locks her in place with his arm. "Put me down!" she screams, pounding her fists on his back as he hums soothingly, pressing her legs to his torso with his other hand. For a brief moment, his eyes flit over her butt, which is right next to his face and moves with her every move, causing him to grin slightly. 'The view could be worse.'</p><p>Cursing under her breath, Xayah summons one of her Featherdaggers, tip pressing threateningly against the skin on his back, which Rakan simply ignores. Frustrated, she stabs the tip into his skin, getting no reaction aside from him pressing her tighter against him. Without knowing why, a slight smile flits across her lips. So Rakan is, after all, the first man she's ever met who is stronger than herself and can match her. "Put me down!" she curses again, starting another attempt to free herself from him. Again just as unsuccessful as before. "When we reach the cave."</p><p>She sighs in resignation, resting her arm on his shoulder and placing her cheek in the palm of her hand, surrendering to her fate and letting Rakan carry her to the cave.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Cave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as Rakan sets her down in the open ground, Xayah jumps up, staggering slightly, before hurrying as quickly as she can to the other side of the room, twitching her ears and checking if he approaches her again. Goosebumps spread over her skin as she presses herself uncomfortably against the wall. Surprised, he steps toward her, head tilted slightly to the side as she drops her backpack to the ground and reaches for her tent cover.  A little helplessly, she lets her eyes slide over the ground, noticing with resignation that there is hardly anything she can use to secure the tent. "Get some rest, I'll do that." </p><p>Smiling, Rakan approaches her, to which she just quickly shakes her head, grabbing a bamboo pole and placing it inside the tent. This is one of the easiest tasks. Startled, they both spin around as another roll of thunder shatters the silence and they can see lightning twitching across the sky at a distance. She grimaces in pain, grabbing another bamboo pole. Slowly she climbs inside the tent as the cover collapses over her head. </p><p>Silently cursing under her breath as she struggles with the cover, she can hear Rakan slowly approaching her and without knowing why, she pauses in her movement and freezes, looking up into his smiling face as he lifts the tent cover and smiles down at her. "Let me help you," he whispers, his voice warm and soft as he slowly crouches in front of her. "I don't need your help," she hisses softly, averting her eyes from him again. 'And I don't want it either,' she adds in thought, face contorting into a grimace. </p><p>For a moment he looks down at her, the smile on his lips widening as he slowly stands back up, shrugging his shoulders. "If you don't want my help, I guess I'll have to accept that. Don't mind me, we' ll just sleep together around the fire." </p><p>She freezes briefly, her eyes widening as her mind processes his words and she slowly begins to shake her head. "I can't sleep next to you by the fire.... I... I need my tent," she mumbles, biting her lower lip uncomfortably as another thunderclap rattles through the cave. "So you'll let me help you?" The smile on his lips grows even wider than before as she nods timidly, eyes fixed on the ground and slowly crawling out from under the cover with her face twisted in pain. </p><p>With a slight hum, Rakan goes down on his knees, straightening the bamboo poles inside before continuing with the tent setup. Within moments the tent is in place, and with a smile he straightens up and looks around the cave. His eyes fall on a tall mountain of straw lying in a corner, which he slowly approaches. Satisfied, he notes that it is dry, bringing a large amount over to the tent with his arms and spreading it around. Questioningly, Xayah looks at him, to which he just gives her a quick wink. "The straw will keep the inside of the tent warm," he smiles before returning to the hay, this time bringing it over to the fire before spreading a blanket over it. "The night will be more pleasant than first thought," he grins, looking around the cave again. </p><p>"Stay here, I'll go get some firewood. And I might even find something to eat." </p><p>Silently, Xayah nods, eyes still fixed on the ground, before reaching for her backpack and disappearing with it inside the tent, spreading some blankets on the floor. Closing her eyes, she inhales sharply as pain shoots up from her calf to her thigh, fighting the urge to curse. Climbing back out of the tent some time later, she is surprised to find that Rakan has already returned and started a campfire, slowly warming the cave. "How bad is the storm?"</p><p>He looks up in surprise, giving her a slight smile. "Worse than expected. Its one of those autumn storms that traps you at home for several days and makes sure you can't set a foot outside the door. Or, as in our case, outside the cave." His expression turns thoughtful as he looks in the direction of the cave entrance. "We should see about securing the entrance somehow," she murmurs, eyes fixed on the dancing flames of the campfire as he nods in agreement. </p><p>With pain on her face, Xayah hobbles toward the exit, poking her head out of the cave and fighting the storm as her eyes sweep the area, looking for something to cover the entrance to the cave and protect them from the storm. Startled, she leaps to the side as Rakan moves to stand beside her, letting out a sharp cry as pain from her calf shoots through her entire body. "Hey, it's all right. Don't be scared," he murmurs, reaching out for her. </p><p>Roughly, she slaps his hand aside, losing her balance from the abrupt movement and falling to the ground. Immediately he leans down to her, a concerned expression in his eyes. "Are you okay?" Without saying anything in reply, Xayah nods, biting her lower lip and suppressing the pain as best she can. "You should sit down," he smiles, offering her his hand and trying to help her up, but she ignores him again, not even dignifying his hand with a glance. Without making a sound, she slowly straightens up, gritting her teeth and fighting the pain. </p><p>Again she looks around the cave before an idea comes to her mind and she hobbles over to her tent and reaches for her backpack. She tightens her mouth as she takes the blanket out of the bag and walks back to the cave entrance with it, lashing it out briefly and starting to attach it to some ledges. Immediately Rakan hurries over to the other side of the cave entrance, securing the blanket there as well. Some time later, as they look at the poorly closed entrance, Rakan's brow wrinkles doubtfully while Xayah looks pleased at the holey blanket and slowly turns around again, walking over to her tent. </p><p>For a short moment he looks at her thoughtfully, before he turns to her completely, a broad grin on his lips. "Lucky for us you haven't disposed of the blanket yet," he laughs cheerfully, sitting down right by the fire and stretching his arms out towards it. Slowly, she turns to face him, her eyes formed into thin slits. "What are you talking about? Why would I want to dispose the blanket?" Her voice is a low hiss, but Rakan can clearly hear a trace of surprise. Surprised, he looks at her from the side, a gentle smile on his lips. "As many holes as she has, you must have wanted to dump it a long time ago," he laughs merrily, his head tilting slightly as his eyes close. </p><p>Xayah's voice is colder than he's used to, and even harsher than usual when she answers him. "You must think you're better than everyone! Not everyone can..." she breaks off, turning away from him and hurrying away with quick, angry steps. His eyes widen in disbelief as he looks after her when she disappears into her tent. His shoulders slump as he looks after her sadly, the smile gone from his lips. Without another sound, he reaches his hands back in the direction of the fire, staring at it. </p><p><br/>* *</p><p><br/>A loud crack startles Rakan from his sleep, he looks around irritated as the fire is extinguished by a huge breeze and Xayah also tears open the entrance of the tent, looking out startled. "What happened?" she whispers alarmed into the darkness, not daring to take a step. It takes a moment for Rakan to reignite the fire by magic and the cave is bathed in a warm light.  Both of their eyes focus on the entrance, where the blanket is ripped open at its center and a branch reaches into the cave, not close enough for either of them to get close, but enough to split the blanket in two. </p><p>"Shit," mumbles Rakan, his eyes fixed on Xayah while her eyes are fixed on the fallen log. "We're stuck here... trapped?" Her voice sounds a little higher than he's used to from her, and he gives her a questioning look before slowly approaching the log and shaking his head. "No. It looks like we can climb between the branches. At least once your leg is healed. Have you taken care of it by now?"</p><p>She looks at him suspiciously for a moment, nodding briefly. "Yes, yes. All good," she mumbles evasively before staggering over to the log and taking a closer look at the situation as well, nodding slightly. Her eyes move to her blanket, which she straightens again and covers the tree trunk with, sighing softly. From the side he looks at her thoughtfully, before she turns around without saying anything and goes back to her tent. She turns back around in surprise when she notices movement at the mouth of the cave, her brow furrowed as Rakan begins to make his way through the branches.</p><p>"What are you doing?"</p><p>With her arms folded in front of her chest, she stares at him, brows tightly drawn together as he slowly looks back at her in surprise. "I was going to check on food again," he mumbles as his stomach rumbles again. She shakes her head briefly, pointing to the fire, before turning around and heading off to the tent. </p><p>He slowly makes his way back over to his seat, sitting down with his stomach growling as Xayah climbs back out of the tent, face twisting briefly before she comes over to him with something wrapped in some sort of wax paper.  She bites her lower lip before she sits down by the fire and tears the paper and its inside into two pieces, handing the larger one to Rakan. Surprised, he accepts it before giving her a questioning look. "Are you sure?"</p><p>She nods briefly, quietly biting into her half of the sandwich. "Thank you," he says cheerfully, happily biting into the slightly dry bread, not bothering with the soggy lettuce or the hard edges of the meat. Satisfied, he begins to hum, receiving a confused look from her, though she doesn't say anything in response. Glancing at him briefly appraisingly before wiping her fingers on her dress, she gets up, staggering slightly. "Night," she murmurs softly, leaving with shaky legs and walking slowly over to the tent. With a smile he looks up at her, the unspoken question already on his lips as she shakes her head. "No, I don't want your help," she mumbles as she gets down on her knees and climbs into the tent, suppressing a groan. </p><p>Sighing in satisfaction, Rakan takes the last bite of his sandwich before lying down on his improvised bed and covering himself with his wing, closing his eyes and preparing for the night.</p><p><br/>* *</p><p><br/>A loud groan wakes Rakan from his sleep, sleepily straightening up, rubbing his fist across one of his eyes and searching for the sound that woke him from his slumber. Surprised, he realizes that it' s coming from his companion's tent. He hesitates for a moment before deciding to go over and check. His ears twitch nervously as another groan comes from the tent, significantly filled with pain. </p><p>"Xayah?"</p><p>His voice is calm and soothing, hoping he doesn't startle her, but no response comes from her. Again he whispers her name into the night, but again no response. Carefully, he pushes one side of the entrance aside, peeking into the tent with his eye. </p><p>Disturbed, he realizes that the pained groan is coming from Xayah, who is squirming restlessly from side to side in her sleep, her thigh clearly swollen.   He bites the inside of his cheek, struggling with himself and trying to make a decision. When he finally chooses, he lets the tent's tarp slide back slowly, walking to the small bag in which he keeps his belongings and pulling out the small jar with yellowish flowers he collected earlier. Satisfied, he notes that he also carries a piece of honey along with the honeycomb, as well as some almond oil, which he usually uses for his skin. </p><p>"That should do it," he murmurs, reaching for the small kettle they use to make tea. Slowly he dumps the oil into the kettle, cuts the honeycomb and honey into small pieces and tosses them to the oil, slowly melting the wax as he begins to pound the flowers between two stones into a paste, which he also adds to the other ingredients in the kettle.</p><p>Stirring constantly, he hangs the kettle over the fire, so that it gets just enough heat that the wax remains liquid and he can mix the ingredients properly and they can infuse for a long time before he fills the tincture into the small jar in which the flowers were before. Pleased, he looks at his ointment before he goes over to her again. "Xayah? Xayah, are you awake?" he murmurs, receiving no reply.</p><p>With a slow sigh, he closes his eyes, pushing the tarp aside and climbing into the tent, looking at the wound, which isn't just swollen but already beginning to fester, so he carefully opens it and begins to clean it, to which she responds with just another pained groan. Relief spreads through Rakan as he realizes that he has been lucky that everything has been prepared so far and all he needs to help her is within reach. </p><p>He dips his fingers into the ointment before gently stroking it over the injured skin, hoping that the swelling will go down and that the anti-inflammatory substances in the flowers will help. For a long moment he looks at her closely, trying to figure out why she didn't bother with the injury, even if she said she had earlier. Slowly he shakes his head, sighing softly as he tries to get back up and leave the tent, but something holds him back.</p><p>Surprised, he looks down at himself, noting that Xayah's fingers have dug into the fabric of his pants and she's clinging to him, eyes closed and shivering briefly in her sleep, as though she's having a nightmare she's fighting. "Please stay," she murmurs half asleep, his eyes widening and he stares down at her, unable to move or say anything.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Grow, blossom, flourish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sleepily, she rubs the back of her hand over one of her eyes, her ears twitching. Xayah sighs in exhaustion, resigned to the fact that the storm is still roaring. "I hate autumn," she mutters, turning slightly to the side before she freezes as her wing brushes against something. A cold shiver runs down her spine and her eyes widen as her entire body stiffens and locks in place. With a sudden movement she slides to the other side of the tent wall, pressing herself against the cold fabric and avoiding the motionless hand, while her heart beats up to her throat and she feels like she's going to panic at any moment. </p><p>'Has he lost his mind?!' it flits through her mind and she clenches her eyes and teeth, trying to suppress the trembling. "What the hell are you doing?!" she hisses quietly, trying to avoid any contact with him as he sleepily sits up and looks around in surprise, his arm still reaching into the tent.</p><p>"Sleeping," he murmurs, withdrawing his hand from the tent and bracing himself on the straw on which he has spent the night. She snorts indignantly, staring at him coldly. "And how dare you just..." Abruptly she pauses, averting her eyes from him while her cheeks turn slightly red. "How dare you just lie down next to me!"</p><p>The surprise on his face becomes more evident and he tilts his head slightly to the side as he looks at her intently. "You asked me to." She stares at him speechlessly, lips pressed into a thin line as she shakes her head quickly and vehemently, tossing her magenta hair through the air. "I definitely didn't! Never would I do anything like that!"</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"No, no buts!" she hisses, eyes to the floor, avoiding his gaze. With an understanding smile, Rakan nods, sitting up fully. "Then I guess it was a misunderstanding, sorry," he smiles softly, his voice a slight sing-song. Even though he knows he didn't imagine her question, the expression in her eyes is clear enough to let him know that her behavior was triggered by something other than simply dislike for him. A cold shiver passes over his skin , so he slowly runs a hand over his arm as the small feathers on the back of his neck rise from the cold. </p><p>His eyes flit through the cave, which is illuminated just by a small ray of light that falls through the foliage of the tree that lies in front of the entrance. Instinctively, he straightens up and walks over to the tree to look through the branches and leaves to the outside. When he finally manages to look through it, he can't help but sigh slightly when he realizes that the storm hasn't died yet and rain is still falling in heavy streams. The one thing he notes with satisfaction is that the inner branches of the tree are cold, but quite dry. So perfectly suitable to start a new campfire.</p><p>As he turns to step deeper into the cave again, he is surprised to find that Xayah has climbed out of the tent by now, her hair tied to one side and a ragged blanket draped over her shoulders to protect her from the cold. He smiles at her, his head tilted to the side. "Don't worry, I'm just about to rekindle the fire." His voice is soft, but still she flinches, eyeing him suspiciously from the side and hesitating to reply anything. </p><p>She sits down at the extinguished fire still without saying a word, her movements slower than she is used to, her face briefly contorting into a grimace which she tries to hide, and reaches for her backpack again, checking to see if she can find anything in it that they could cook, while all the contents land one by one on the floor next to her. She bites her lower lip as Rakan steps up to her with some twigs, placing the branches where their fire burned the night before. A quick glance at her goods scattered on the ground make him look up in surprise as parchment, quill, ink and a map disappear back into her backpack. "Is this all you travel with?" he asks quietly, his eyes fixed on a small water bottle and a few coins, which aren't even enough for a handful of flour and an egg. </p><p>Her eyes narrow to slits as she looks at him, lips pressed into a tight line. "I don't see how that's any of your business," she snaps, the challenge in her voice clear to hear, to which Rakan raises his arms soothingly. "I didn't mean to attack you," he smiles, sitting down across from her and stacking the wood. </p><p>Without saying anything, Xayah reaches for a small bundle she retrieved from her backpack earlier before handing it to Rakan. Taken by surprise, he accepts the bundle, rolling the linen cloth apart. A confused sound comes from his throat as he looks at her questioningly. "What is this?"</p><p>No less surprised than Rakan himself, she looks at him, her forehead furrowed as she draws her brows together. "Pyrite and flint?" Her eyes shift from him to the bundle she has given him, before she lets her gaze slide back to his face. "And what am I supposed to use this for?" asks Rakan, the amusement in his voice impossible to miss. 'Is he kidding me?" it flashes through her mind, looking at him questioningly as she takes the bundle back, folded again, and drops it into her backpack.</p><p>With a low murmur, Rakan goes down on his knees in front of the branches before standing back up after a moment, looking satisfied at the small flame starting to burn its way through the dry wood while Xayah looks at him with wide eyes, fingers tightening in her blanket. "That was magic! Wasn't it?! You lit the fire with magic!" she bursts out, still staring at him. With a smile, he nods before his expression twists into an unspoken question.</p><p>"Can't you?"</p><p>Silently she shakes her head, receiving another questioning look from him, which she silently avoids by turning her head to the side, pretending to count the coins she has left. For a moment, Rakan examines her intently before standing up and walking over to the tree in front of the entrance. A moment later, he comes back, laying a few branches beside her as he looks at her with a smile. "I'll be right back," he laughs, stepping back to the tree trunk, and before she can say anything, he has disappeared among the branches.</p><p> </p><p>~ * ~</p><p> </p><p><br/>When Rakan climbs back through the branches and enters the cave several hours later, he is unprepared for what he sees. Candles have been placed on various ledges in the cave wall, bathing the cave in a cozy light, while much of the straw and hay left in the far corner of the cave is now piled near the fire, forming a hollow in the center, while some blankets and even a pillow lie inside. As he steps closer, he notices that not only several blankets are lying in the improvised nest, between them lies Xayah, curled up and with her ears laid back, while most of the nest is unused. </p><p>Slowly, he sets the fish and the two rabbits he managed to catch aside, grabbing some larger branches and impaling the fish on them before placing them over the fire. An uneasy murmur causes him to look up, noting that Xayah is once again beginning to toss around in her sleep. "Hey, everything's fine," Rakan whispers, this time keeping his distance though, the reaction from that morning still fresh in his mind. </p><p>But like the night before, she doesn't respond, doesn't awake, the only reaction is that she throws her head to the side and whimpers softly. Rakan's shoulders slump as he looks down at her quivering form, shaking and whimpering, sobbing in her sleep. Soothingly, he begins to hum, hoping to subconsciously calm her and allow her to sleep peacefully. To his satisfaction, he notices how she actually becomes calmer and quieter before her features relax completely and she clings to her blanket in her sleep. He notices at this point that it is the blanket that has been cut almost in two and that she has repaired it poorly. </p><p>When Xayah wakes up some time later Rakan looks at her with a friendly smile. "Hey sleepyhead," he laughs softly, a gentle expression in his eyes. "Are you hungry?" he adds with a smile, dragging one of the wooden skewers with fish from the fire and handing it to her, not waiting for her answer. Sleepily she looks at him, rubbing the back of her hand over one of her eyes while smudging the eyeliner. "Where have you been? Your hair's all messed up, you look funny," she murmurs, her voice dull from sleep. For a moment he frowns, looking at her speechlessly. "You're one to talk, your makeup is all over your face," he grins, waving the skewer in her direction. </p><p>With a faint smile, she takes the skewer from his hand, her eyes on the food. "Thank you," she murmurs softly, making no effort to take any of it down. "Don't worry, it's not poisoned," he jokes, though he gives her a sincere look in case she is worried about it after all. She nods, her face contorting into a grimace. "I'm just not hungry," she whispers, feeling a tightness in her throat. She swallows, trying to get rid of the feeling, but to no avail. On the contrary, it feels like her throat continues to tighten, like she can't breathe. </p><p>In her mind's eye, she sees the shadows rushing behind her, her ears twitching restlessly before they settle against her head, the voices of her henchmen resounding within them. A cold shiver runs down her spine and she drags the blanket tighter against her, eyes fixed on the flames as her thoughts run wild. Like a wounded deer, she flinches when she notices Rakan looking at her. </p><p>Slowly, with pointed fingers, Xayah detaches a piece of meat from the skewer, which she listlessly puts into her mouth and begins to chew on it, trying to avoid his gaze. Unsuccessfully.</p><p>With a smile, Rakan also takes a big bite of his fish, not taking his eyes off the young woman, while he starts humming softly again, a melody he hopes is all too familiar to her. After a while, Xayah looks at him questioningly, one brow raised. "Do I have something sticking on my face, or why are you staring at me?" Slight hostility resonates in her voice as she stares at him from her position, lowering her skewer. With a smirk, he looks at her, wiggling his eyebrows as he runs a hand through his still slightly damp hair. </p><p>Without answering her question, he takes another big bite, humming in good mood, when another loud thunder sounds and resounds in the cave. Startled, Xayah flinches, quickly returning her eyes to her meal and taking a small bite. With a smile, Rakan begins to drum on his leg, eyes gleaming as he watches Xayah attentively, humming again. </p><p>
  <em>"Like the rose, bright and beautiful, that blooms in the morning light</em>
  <br/>
  <em>That grows to the light, never doubting its existence.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>So may you grow, blossom, flourish, </em>
  <br/>
  <em>The strength fades too soon</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Until you are aware of the empty glow</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Once you lie on your deathbed."</em>
</p><p>She looks at him in surprise as he begins his song, placing the fish on a piece of bark Rakan has handed her as a plate, while she draws her knees to her chest, resting her head on them, eyes fixed directly on him, listening to his song. </p><p>
  <em>"Live! Live your life!</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Before your desire dies, before the breath of the timeless </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Strength and power flow away</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Give! </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Give all your liveliness, to your heart's dreams</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Of your free spirit's vision."</em>
</p><p>A slight smile settles over her lips as she continues to gaze at him. 'That's exactly what I do,' she thinks, that smile getting a little wider. 'I'll give anything to make my heart's desire come true.' Quietly, she begins to join in his chant with a low hum as she slowly begins to clap to the rhythm. Motivated by her reaction, Rakan starts the next line, his eyes gleaming. </p><p>
  <em>"Like a animal, safe in the herd,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Never walking alone any part of the way, gaze steady down to earth.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>So you walk scared and hunched over your way,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Too far from the lightness to see true happiness."</em>
</p><p>Abruptly, Xayah stops, hands frozen in the clapping motion as she averts her eyes from him, biting her lower lip. Timidly, she wraps her arms around her legs, head resting on them as her ears slowly drop. For a moment Rakan stops, unsure if he should start another song, but when he sees the twitching of her ears he decides against it. </p><p>
  <em>"So may you grow, blossom, flourish, </em>
  <br/>
  <em>The strength fades too soon</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Until you are aware of the empty glow</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Once you lie on your deathbed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Like the bright sun that nourishes all life,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Following its path, granting us its strength.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Follow your path to the dark and to the light,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Until in love and trust, your life's light fades."</em>
</p><p>Silently she sighs into her knees, eyes closed as she simply listens to his voice, her fingers tightening and pressing against her legs. A pained hiss escapes her lips as she jerks her head up, stretching her leg out a bit to look at the injury. Immediately she drags her knees back to her chest, covering herself with her blanket.</p><p>Instantly Rakan breaks off his song and jumps up, rushing over to her. "Hasn't it gotten better?" he whispers, concern clear in his voice. Suspiciously, she glances at him before slowly extending her leg to show him. Once again the wound has begun to ooze and as his fingers touch the skin around it, he realizes that his fears have come true. Carefully, he releases one of his feathers from his wing before whispering a few words and causing it to glow. He frowns, his face contorting briefly. </p><p>It is a faint glow, fainter than he had hoped for. Still, he has already expected the result, having seen it in the tiny flame he conjured. 'The magic in this corner of Ionia is weaker than I'm used to,' he admits in thought as he places the feather on the wound, which immediately disappears and causes the wound to light up briefly as well. The result does not satisfy him. </p><p>The heat around the injury is somewhat reduced and another feel shows him that the skin and flesh around it are no longer as hardened as before, but it is far from enough. He looks at her apologetically, receiving a questioning look in response. "What's wrong?" she murmurs, frowning. "The injury has become infected, heavily. And the environment doesn't have enough magic for it to heal on its own, even my healing spell was almost ineffective..."</p><p>"Shit," she mutters, slowly straightening up, to which Rakan immediately pushes her back into place. "Don't move, what do you need?" he mutters, looking around the small cave. For a moment, she rolls her eyes. "My backpack. It's next to my tent," she murmurs, going through her next steps in her mind. With a nod, Rakan hurries off, only to reappear a moment later with the backpack, handing it to her. Without giving it a second thought, she reaches inside, pulling out a piece of cloth and a small bottle. "What are you up to?" he asks in irritation, receiving a surprised look from her in response. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she mumbles in response, shaking her head slightly as she spreads the cloth outside the nest. </p><p>With a clearly visible swallow, he stares at her, lips pressed into a thin line. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he mutters, receiving a shake of her head in response as she summons a Featherdagger. For a moment she stares at the wound before her head moves in his direction. "Yes, you can help me..." she murmurs softly. "Finish singing that song..." she whispers, barely audible. Without hesitation, he nods before pausing for a moment, uncertain where he left the song before beginning where he suspects he had stopped.</p><p>
  <em>"Like the bright sun that nourishes all life,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Following its path, granting us its strength.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Follow your path to the dark and to the light,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Until in love and trust, your life's light fades.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Live! Live your life!</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Before your desire dies, before the breath of the timeless </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Strength and power flow away</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Give! </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Give all your liveliness, to your heart's dreams</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Of your free spirit's vision."</em>
</p><p>Carefully, she slides to the edge of the nest, placing her leg on one half of the cloth before opening the wound with a quick cut, teeth clenched tightly. With light pressure she cleans the cut, using the other half of the cloth. After a few moments, she is relieved to see that there is no more fester in the wound and blood is running out. </p><p>
  <em>"So may you grow, blossom, flourish, </em>
  <br/>
  <em>The strength fades too soon</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Until you are aware of the empty glow</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Once you lie on your deathbed."</em>
</p><p>With trembling fingers she grabs the small flask, unscrewing the cap and smelling it briefly. A shudder passes over her body and she contorts her face, holding the bottle over her injury. For a moment Xayah hesitates, biting her lower lip before withdrawing the bottle, reaching out for her canteen and taking a hearty sip from it before tipping a little from the small bottle over the fresh cut. "God, fucking hell," she moans with a pain-distorted gasp before unscrewing the cap and letting herself fall back, closing her eyes in exhaustion. "Are you okay?" murmurs Rakan worriedly, receiving nothing in response but her raised hand. </p><p>After a while, she nods, a slight redness over her cheeks. "How can salt water hurt so much..." she murmurs before closing her eyes. Slowly, Rakan walks over to her, glancing at the injury before reaching to his bag and taking out a piece of cloth, which he wraps around her leg before gently repositioning her and covering her properly in the nest, making sure she doesn't freeze.</p><p> </p>
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